First look at the new Decorator’s Notebook collection

Putting together each new collection for the Decorator’s Notebook shop is one of my favourite tasks. My ears are constantly open and when I hear of a new artisan group making beautiful homeware or gifts my eyes light up and my heart sings! The pieces we’ve found for the shop for Spring / Summer 2016 are some of my favourites ever. I hope you love this colourful new collection of ethically-produced home accessories as much as I do… let me take you on a tour through our new collection!

I am so in love with these colourful new fair trade baskets! They are individually handmade in Morocco from reeds and brightly coloured wool using a spiral basketry style that’s been used for centuries to create strong and useful pots. These Moroccan baskets are traditionally made for bread but I think the lidded style is perfect for tidying toiletries, office supplies, toys and any other household clutter. Don’t you just love the pom pom top?

Carnival Blue is a new addition to our popular collection of braided baskets which are made for us near Dhaka in Bangladesh. These durable baskets are handmade from dyed jute fibres which are plaited together to create these colourful designs. If you like this then do take a look at all the designs in the braided basket range in the Decorator’s Notebook shop as there are four lovely colourways to choose from.

Our double sided picture frames are bestsellers so we’ve expanded the range with two new styles. Firstly a sophisticated metal frame in brass which comes in three sizes and a choice of portrait or landscape formats. Secondly we’ve worked with a fair trade group in India to create a new rustic wood double sided frame which comes in three distressed painted colours – grey, duck egg blue and light green. All Decorator’s Notebook’s double sided frames are perfect gifts and can be used for photographs, postcards, artwork or personalised collages. We now have lots of designs to choose from so do explore the full range of double sided photo frames in the shop.

We sold out of Moroccan leather slippers over Christmas so Hamid and his team in Marrakech have been working hard to replenish our stocks with five brand new styles. I adore the new patterned ladies slippers which come in pretty coral or rich teal – the intricate designs are made by carefully slicing away the upper surface of the leather, a process done entirely by hand. Our plain Moroccan leather slippers now come in three new gorgeous colours, sage green, sky blue and mustard yellow.

If you are a fan of the Decorator’s Notebook kantha quilts, you’re going to love our new Indian bedspread. The cotton cloth is hand block printed in a rich indigo blue. Squares of different patterns are then sewn together to create this stunning patchwork quilt which blends the best of traditional craftsmanship and modern design. This bedspread is also giant sized to fit beds from double to super king. A real future heirloom to be treasured.

Also block printed in India are our lovely summery blue and white cushion and throw. These are made from crisp cotton and are perfect for giving your home a fresh new look. These textiles are printed by hand with intricate designs that will instantly transport you to the Blue City of Johdpur. I think the throw would also work beautifully as a summer tablecloth.

It’s almost impossible to appreciate how stunning these blue solar quartz agate necklaces are in real life. The crystals are sliced from stalactites and each one has a unique pattern and shape. The slices are hand-polished, edged with 22ct gold plate and finished with a pretty gold chain. You should definitely head over to the Decorator’s Notebook shop if you like these as the photos really show how amazing these look with the light shining through.

I’ve wanted to sell French market bags at Decorator’s Notebook for ages and we’ve finally found some fair trade ones that meet my exacting standards! These baskets are handwoven in Morocco from palm leaves and finished off with real leather straps and buckle which adds a bit of luxury. It’s no exaggeration to say this is the most useful bag you could ever own – they seem bottomless in a Mary Poppins way!

Our final new addition is a gorgeous range of serving boards and cookware made from pure white marble and warm mango wood. Mango wood is one of the most environmentally-friendly woods around as it is harvested from old fruit trees that are no longer productive. By recycling the old trees the mango farmers have the opportunity to generate a valuable extra source of income and our fair trade artisans benefit from turning the wood into these stylish kitchen products… ethical trade that’s win-win for everyone.

We have a shop!

Decorator's Notebook is our online shop selling beautiful handmade homewares with ethical origins. Our collection is sourced from life-changing fair trade organisations around the world to help you find more unique pieces for your home.